Facility where Joan Rivers suffered fatal complication loses accreditation, certification

Following increased scrutiny since the death of comedian Joan Rivers in September, Yorkville Endoscopy—the facility where Rivers was receiving care prior to her death—will reportedly be losing recognition as an accredited and certified facility for insurance purposes.

Both the Centers for Medicare Services and the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities apparently removed their blessing because of substandard care provided by the facility.

As readers may remember, the facility was cited for substandard care following an investigation of the events that led to Rivers’ death, including failure to take notice of deteriorating vital signs. The firm that manages Yorkville Endoscopy and other surgical centers, has been cited for substandard care at its other facilities as well, though the firm’s attorney says the violations in question are not out of the norm for the industry and, in any case, have since been corrected.

Although Rivers’ death was officially classified as a complication and no evidence of negligence was found, her daughter Melissa Rivers hired a malpractice attorney last fall to investigate the case. It isn’t clear whether anything has come out of those efforts as yet.

Fatal medical errors, of course, are a serious issue and those who have family members who have died following substandard care have the right to seek compensation. Not every such case is going to result in a viable malpractice claim, but an experienced attorney can provide an honest assessment of the merits of a case and, if litigation is warranted, provide zealous advocacy in court.

Source: ABC News, “Joan Rivers’ Clinic Yorkville Endoscopy Vows to Stay Open,” Aaron Katersky, Lesley Messer, Jan. 13, 2015.

NBC New York, “I-Team: Joan Rivers Surgery Center Part of Network With Regulatory Troubles,” Chris Glorioso, Jan. 13, 2015.

CBS News, “Clinic that treated Joan Rivers loses accreditation,” Jan. 12, 2015.